“Your right hand and strong arm…helped them.” Psalm 44:3 NLT
DID YOU hear about the frog that was running out of water, so he asked two birds to transport him to a nearby pond? He convinced each of them to carry one end of a stick in their beak while he bit down on the center and held on. It was a sight to behold: two birds, one stick, and a frog in the middle. They were making progress until a cow in a pasture looked up, saw the trio passing overhead, and asked, “Who thought of that?” At that point the frog couldn’t resist. Pride prevailed over prudence, and as he plummeted to earth, he yelled, “It was meeee…!” Don’t make the same error. “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). Why are you good at doing what you do? For your own comfort? To save for your retirement? To bolster your self-esteem? No, these are all bonuses, not the main reason. You’re good at what you do—for God’s sake. It’s about Him, not you! Read and ponder these words in your heart: “Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand…at your discretion people are made great and given strength” (1 Chronicles 29:12 NLT). Recalling the victories, blessings, and successes Israel had experienced, David reminds us: “They did not conquer…with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm…that helped them, for you loved them” (Psalm 44:3 NLT). Keep in mind that the blessings you enjoy every day are yours only because God favored and smiled on you. That’s the truth!
Soul Food Reading: Ps 118:19-29, Matt 21:1-16
